“The grown ups have left the planet”

So says our Trail friend xrepublican. Sadly, more than just the grown-ups have left this global room, too many of the critters among us are also on the way out according to a new United Nations assessment as reported by

New York Times: Humans Are Speeding Extinction and Altering the Natural World at an ‘Unprecedented’ Pace

“Human actions threaten more species with global extinction now than ever before,” the report concludes, estimating that “around 1 million species already face extinction, many within decades, unless action is taken.”
Unless nations step up their efforts to protect what natural habitats are left, they could witness the disappearance of 40 percent of amphibian species, one-third of marine mammals and one-third of reef-forming corals. More than 500,000 land species, the report said, do not have enough natural habitat left to ensure their long-term survival.
Over the past 50 years, global biodiversity loss has primarily been driven by activities like the clearing of forests for farmland, the expansion of roads and cities, logging, hunting, overfishing, water pollution and the transport of invasive species around the globe.
[…]
All told, three-quarters of the world’s land area has been significantly altered by people, the report found, and 85 percent of the world’s wetlands have vanished since the 18th century.

23 thoughts on ““The grown ups have left the planet””

More than 450 former federal prosecutors who worked in Republican and Democratic administrations have signed on to a statement asserting special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s findings would have produced obstruction charges against President Trump — if not for the office he holds.

The statement — signed by myriad former career government employees as well as high-profile political appointees — offers a rebuttal to Attorney General William P. Barr’s determination that the evidence Mueller uncovered was “not sufficient” to establish that Trump committed a crime.

[…]

“Each of us believes that the conduct of President Trump described in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report would, in the case of any other person not covered by the Office of Legal Counsel policy against indicting a sitting President, result in multiple felony charges for obstruction of justice,” the former federal prosecutors wrote.

“We emphasize that these are not matters of close professional judgment,” they added. “Of course, there are potential defenses or arguments that could be raised in response to an indictment of the nature we describe here. . . . But, to look at these facts and say that a prosecutor could not probably sustain a conviction for obstruction of justice — the standard set out in Principles of Federal Prosecution — runs counter to logic and our experience.”

The Trump administration ruled out turning over President Trump’s tax returns to the House on Monday and girded for a looming contempt of Congress resolution against Attorney General William P. Barr.

The actions ratcheted up the showdown between the executive and legislative branches, as Mr. Trump and his administration continued to resist the Democrats’ oversight efforts on multiple fronts.

[…]

“On a day when his former fixer heads to jail and his current fixer heads the Department of Justice, President Trump obstructs both Mueller and his tax returns from speaking for themselves,” said Representative Lloyd Doggett, Democrat of Texas and a Ways and Means Committee member. He added, “If Trump once again faces only Republican silence and Democratic timidity, he will continue to erode our democracy by assuming more and more power.”
[…]
The president was giving no ground.
He said on Sunday that he objected to Mr. Mueller testifying before the Judiciary Committee, and he urged the country to move on from an investigation that did not result in criminal charges. The grounds and weight of his objection were unclear, but it could easily stall a hearing, which Democrats had hoped to hold as soon as next week.
Mr. Trump has likewise said Mr. McGahn ought not cooperate with the committee’s request for testimony or with its subpoena for documents related to key episodes of possible obstruction laid out by Mr. Mueller. Democrats were preparing for another possible court fight should the president try to assert executive privilege to block Mr. McGahn from discussing their private conversations, including when Mr. Trump tried to use Mr. McGahn to fire Mr. Mueller and alter records of their conversation.

FBI’s Wray: Spying is ‘not the term I would use’ to describe Trump campaign probe

[…]

Wray said the FBI went through the proper channels in relation to the 2016 surveillance, adding that it’s been “publicly disclosed there were a number of relevant warrants.” He also said the FBI was working to help Barr “understand better” how the investigation was launched.

The FBI director said the bureau has taken steps to improve in light of an inspector general report related to the Clinton investigation and defended the work of the FBI’s career employees.

“I think it is important for the American people to understand … that we’re talking about two investigations, two investigations over about a 15-month period as opposed to the thousands and thousands of investigations the FBI does to keep Americans safe,” he said.

Wray described the FBI employees as “brave” and said they “deserve better than some of the commentary that’s been out there.

In addition to defending the work of the FBI, Wray emphasized that Russian interference in U.S. elections remains a persistent threat and noted that the FBI has asked for more resources in its budget request to address the threat of foreign influence.

“We view our adversary, in particular Russia in this context, as upping its game,” he said.

Wray noted that the FBI better mitigated foreign influence in the 2018 election, compared to the 2016 election, by doing more to coordinate with social media companies to flag Russian-controlled bots from spreading incorrect information. He added that during the 2018 election, the companies also provided information to the FBI regarding suspect accounts and said those efforts will need to continue in 2020.

When asked whether Russia has been sufficiently deterred, Wray responded: “I think there are still more messages to be sent.”

So SFB is claiming executive privilege (AKA Fuck You) for the documents sought from McGhan. Good luck with that – IMHO it was waived when the documents were turned over and McGhan sat for 30 hours cooperating with Mueller.

Renee. I suspect there is nothing out of character in them, i.e., they’re full of innocuous, verifiable stuff with enough volume to have the IRS conduct an audit on principal. He’s undoubtedly aware of what sank the felons of the last century and will have provided his preparers verifiable, written instructions to provide our government with accurate, complete returns. Move on folks; nothing to see here.

I doubt that he out right cheated on his taxes but skate close to the edge????? Yeah that is Donald. Now how many entangling deals/LLCs/partnerships he has with unsavory characters ??? After all he did construction in New Jersey so he has probably partnered with every mob character on the east coast, Russian or other wise.

Oh and the fact that putting out there his real numbers may make several bankers think about recalling loans.

But any way it doesn’t matter, The Democrats are going to run Biden or Bernie and I’m not sure I could be inspired with those choices. So it comes down to who has the most loonies who will show up and vote. Guess what, when it comes to crazy loonies, the Republicans win. Four more years, get used to it.

BTW, the only candidate out there qualified to be president,(IMO) is Kamala Harris.. It took the worst financial crisis since the great depression to get a black man elected, how bad will it have to be to get an over qualified black woman elected.

Ms Pelosi should order the Sgt at Arms to apprehend mnuchin and stow him in the House of Rep’s jail until he produces the goods. I recommend nabbing the perp as he’s stopped at the first light after he leaves home.

Shooting in Highlands Ranch. It used to be a working cattle ranch into the 1970’s and 80’s. Subdivided and made into republican suburban dreamland. Douglas County is one of the republican test tubes. Strange brew. Last I saw was no deaths, seven wounded. One Senator cory gardner (r and SFB boot licker) offered the greedy old pervert saying “thoughts and prayers”. Gardner is up for election, it is time for him to go.

Hate seeing people killed. Over the years, I’ve seriously considered volunteering my services as a guard for the local Jewish temples and cemeteries, as well as African American churches that have been terrorized. Then I rationalize myself out of doing what is right.

My guess for SFB’s taxes is that they would show that he paid no taxes. I am guessing that since he is in the businesses of primarily development and ownership of rental and residential properties as well as golf courses that his losses reflected on the tax returns are more than enough to offset the revenue from his businesses. And yes I believe there will be loans reflected in his Schedule Cs and Schedule A and the associated worksheets with banks that he would not want the American people to know that he does business with and that his income is nowhere near what he’s led American voters to believe.

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